This lavish Spanish mansion has a Picasso in the pool

A Pablo Picasso work from 1961 is headed to auction – and it comes with a beach estate in the south of Spain.

The great Modern artist left his mark at the lavish home in Marbella built for his good friend, flamenco dancer Antonio ‘El Bailarín’ Ruiz Soler, by painting and signing the bottom of the pool.

The whole property, previously on the market for €15 million, will go to auction without a reserve price, according to Concierge Auctions, which is handling the sale.

The Picasso painting is a primitive sketch of a figure that could very well be an interpretation of his friend, with its extended arms and pointed toe. The artist scrawled “Para Antonio” above the figure and signed the bottom, dated October 29, 1961, images of the pool show.